Dolls have been used by children in various play activities for many years. Not surprisingly, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide a substantial variety of dolls to satisfy consumer needs. One type of doll which has proven to be extremely popular with young girls and has generated a virtually endless variety of cooperating accessories is generally known in the industry as “fashion dolls”. Fashion dolls vary some what in size and structure. However, most generally utilize a molded plastic body often having an internal supporting skeleton which is jointed to permit articulation of the doll body. One of the play activities which has proven popular with fashion dolls involves the simulation of various sport and exercise activities.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,682 issued to Angel et al. sets forth an ACROBATIC DOLL AND DOLL ACCESSORIES CAPABLE OF ACTIVATION BY AIR in which a doll having a torso, head, first and second arms hingedly coupled to the torso, and first and second legs hingedly coupled to the torso cooperates with an engaging member coupled to the doll body. The engaging member coupled to the doll body includes a doll accessory wherein the engaging member and the doll accessory engage one another in a mating relationship. The doll is able to carry forward various movements and maneuvers which replicate acrobatic performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,215 issued to Marason, Jr. et al. sets forth a DOLL LIMB JOINT FOR SELECTIVELY ALLOWING FREE ROTATION OF THE LIMB OR RESISTING SAME in which a doll includes a doll body having shoulder portions which are coupled to shoulder joint mechanisms which in turn support pivotally movable arms. The arms include hands adapted to grasp an object such as a trapeze bar or the like. The shoulder joints are configurable to alternatively allow free rotation of the arms with respect to the torso or to resist rotation thereby accomplishing various performance results.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,302 issued to Solomon sets forth TOY ACROBATS having a staging apparatus which includes a rotatable transverse bar coupled to a hand crank. A multiply articulated toy figure is resiliently secured to the transverse bar a pair of coupling springs. The articulated figure is joined to and further supports a second articulated figure. As the hand crank is rotated, the transverse bar rotates and produces corresponding movement of the two toy figures to simulate acrobatic performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,748 issued to Glass sets forth an ACROBATIC FIGURE TOY having a multiply articulated toy figure including upwardly extending arms terminating in hands. The hands are adapted to grasp a horizontal bar held by the user. As the user rotates the horizontal bar, the figure undergoes maneuvers which replicate acrobatic performance.
Additional examples of early acrobatic-type toys are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,817,959 issued to Bloxom and U.S. Pat. No. 1,848,257 issued to Lewis.
In a related art, a plurality of toy devices have been provided which allow players to control the movements of toy figures in a boxing or fighting activity. Examples of such toys are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,883 issued to Bosley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,657 issued to Crosman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,424 issued to Harth et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,523 issued to Aoki et al. In additional prior art devices, apparatus is provided for manual manipulation of an articulated toy figure or doll in a manner causing the doll to undergo various controlled actions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,112 issued to Sapkus et al. sets forth an ANIMATING DEVICE FOR FIGURE TOYS having a toy figure cooperating with a pistol-type hand grip which is swingably connected to the figure toy. The figure toy includes limb moving apparatus which is coupled to the hand grip and is interactive such that the toy figure is cause to move in response to the users actuation of the hand grip trigger lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,518 issued to Luke sets forth a KICKING DOLL WITH DETACHABLE TRIGGER MEANS having a toy figure which includes moveable limbs such as a pivotally attached kicking leg. A mechanism within the toy figure is operative to cause the kicking leg to pivot rapidly in order to kick a cooperating ball. A removable trigger apparatus is attachable to the rear torso of the figure and is interactively coupled to the kicking leg mechanism such that movement of the apparatus allows the user to trigger a leg kick.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,911 issued to Sapkus et al. sets forth a MANUALLY MANIPULATED ANIMATED FIGURE TOY having a puppet supported by a rigid hollow member. The puppet includes multiply articulated limb members which pivot during rotation of the figure. The hollow member is supported by an adjacent stand and is operative to allow the user to rotate the figure and product limb movement and articulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,456 issued to Whittenberg sets forth a DOLL HAVING AN ARM MOVEMENT MECHANISM USING A REAR-FACING LEVER the doll includes a pair of arms each pivotally joined to the shoulder portion of the doll. One of the arms is coupled to an internal movement mechanism which produces movement of the arm with respect to the shoulder. A traveler operative within the arm moving mechanism includes a rearwardly extending lever passing through an aperture formed in the doll torso. The traveler defines a socket which receives the ball end of the arm shaft supporting the arm in pivotal attachment. As the user moves the lever with respect to the doll torso, the arm shaft is pivoted causing a corresponding pivotal movement of the doll arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,680 issued to Abbondandolo sets forth SNAP-ON ACTION FIGURES in which an action figure defines a female connection formed in the back portion thereof. The female connection includes a plurality of male connectors. The action figure is connected to a belt for supporting a group of action figures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,196 issued to Bellon and Published U.S. Patent Application US2002/0086609 filed by Donohoe set forth examples of toy figures which are directly manipulated by the hand of a user.
In a further related art, which pertains to puppets and the like, U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,366 issued to Fultz Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,644 issued to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,239 issued to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,982 issued to Lemelson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,934 issued to Lewis et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,311 issued to Lyons et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,023 issued to Jenin; U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,808 issued to Wright et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,967 issued to Gilbert and U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,076 issued Gay et al. show various puppet structures which facilitate hand manipulation of a toy figure. Additionally, Published U.S. Patent Applications US2005/0191935 filed by Marine et al. and US2005/0170746 filed by Wee show structures in which a doll or toy figure is supported upon a base and is manipulated by apparatus also supported by the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,725,870 issued to Kucher; U.S. Pat. No. 1,714,537 issued to Younquist; U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,417 issued to Harris; U.S. Pat. No. 1,265,803 issued to Meurer; U.S. Pat. No. 839,145 issued to Hoffman; U.S. Pat. No. 560,728 issued to Luckenbach; U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,720 issued to Carver et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,401 issued to Pullen; U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,835 issued to Kaplan and U.S. Pat. No. 182,194 issued to Hubbell set forth various examples of early attempts by practitioners to provide acrobatic toys which are manipulated by a user.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,671 issued to Roth; U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,109 issued to Vasquez and U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,348 issued to Arenson et al. set forth early toy apparatus generally related to the subject matter of the present invention.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more amusing, entertaining and interesting toy apparatus which facilitates the performance of various physical activities by dolls and toy figures.